Herbert i



(No Model.)

H. I. OONANT. a COMBINED PONGHO, BLANKET, KNAPSAGK', AND SHELTER TENT. 1

No. 578,691. Pat'ented M'a,r."9, 1397.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT I.

CONANT, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE coNANT RUBBER coMPANY, or SAME PLACE.

COMBINED PONCHO, BLANKET, KNAPSACK, AND SHELTER-TENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,691, dated March 9, 1897.

Application filed May 14, 1895. Serial No. 549,228. (No model.)

To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it knownthat I, HERBERT I. CONANT, of

' Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in a Combined Poncho, Blanket, Knapsack, and Shelter-Tent, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanyin'g drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has forits object to provide an improved poncho adapted for use as a blanket, as a knapsack, and also for forming part of a tent, the poncho beingadapted for army service and desirable because of its ready convertibility for use in any service.

In the drawings, Figure 1 showsa tent made up of two ponchos in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2, a separate view of a poncho embodying my invention as the same will appear when used for a blanket, and Fig. 3 a View illustrating the use of the poncho as such.

Referring to the drawings, in the embodiment there Shown and selected as an illustration of the invention the poncho consists of any suitable, preferably waterproof, and rectangular body fabric or, shown as provided at one side with one or more pockets at, having at their upper sides overlapping flaps or covers a with suitable fastening devices a to secure the same in place, covering the entrances to the pockets.

Along its opposite edges the poncho a is provided, as herein shown, with suitable eyelets b, in which are strung the cords b, which, with the eyelets, constitute fasteners to be used as will be described, and at one edge, herein that adjacent the pockets a, the pon cho is provided with additional eyelets b for the reception of other cords b fora purpose to be described. When the poncho is to be used as such, it is thrown over the shoulders of the wearer, as in Fig. 3, with the eyelets b at the top, the said eyelets being drawn together by their cords, as shown, securing the poncho about the neck of the wearer. When it is to be used as a knapsack, the pockets are filled and the poncho rolled or folded longi-- tudinally about these pockets, the adjacent edge being first folded over the pockets, and

then the other portion of the poncho folded at the flap edges of the pockets and brought over the pockets and around over the backs of the same, thus producing an elongated fiat roll with the pockets entirely inclosed within the same, one at the front, the other at the back of the wearer, and protected from all possible entrance of rain. The rolled poncho is then thrown across the shoulders, with one of the pockets at the front and the other at the back of the wearer, thus protecting the vitals of the carrier both in front and at the back. When it is to be used to form part of a tent, .two like ponchos are placed, as shown in Fig. 1, with their edges opposite the pockponchos are made fast to stakes or other suitable devices to hold the ponchos separate, as shown, to form a shelter-tent, the pockets a being at the inner sides of the ponchos and at the edges thereof nearest the ground.

When in position, as in Fig. 2, the poncho serves as a blanket.

By my invention the poncho described may be used as a blanket, as a knapsack with the pockets a filled, or two of the ponchos may be quickly and easily tied together, as in Fig. 1, to be used as a shelter-tent.

My invention is not limited to the exact construct-ion herein shown nor to the particular fasteners shown.

I claim 1. The herein-described tent-poncho, the same consisting of a rectangular fabric a, hav ing a length greater than its breadth, provided along its opposite edges with fasteners and adjacent one of its long edges with a plurality of pockets at open at their edges parallel to said long edges adjacent the middle of the poncho, and closures for the said pockets, said pockets terminating short of the middle of the poncho and adapted to be folded longitudinally over and back into a fiat roll, for use as a knapsack to be thrown across the shoulder, the pockets being separated as shown a distance to permit them to lie against IO Vided at one side with one or more pockets at opening substantially parallel to said edges having closing-flaps a and fastening devices therefor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of r 5 two subsci-ibin g witnesses.

HERBERT I. CONANT. Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, LAURA T. MANIX. 

